Myanmar’s Thae Su Nyein said in a live broadcast on social media that she is returning her Miss Grand International 2024 second runner-up crown.

This comes after the beauty queen was seen sobbing after the competition as her country’s pageant director forcefully removed her crown and sash.

She explained her emotions after the pageant in a Facebook Live on Oct. 27.

“I cried not because I did not get the winner crown, not because I didn’t feel like I deserved the second runner-up, not because of any of those. [It’s] because, not only for me but for people [my country,] they all hoped for this crown and they all [fought] together,” she said.

“It’s like, in this competition, the representative of Myanmar is only me, but everyone is fighting together because we put a lot of effort into this mission[…] And my performance, I did my best. We just hoped for National Costume and Country Power of the Year [awards],” the beauty queen added.

Thae continued to say that on social media, she was among the queens that were the most popular among fans. She said people from Myanmar “did not eat, did not sleep” to vote for her during the competition.

The beauty queen then said that she also got emotional after seeing Burmese folks in the crowd who were also “crying.”

“I’m not controlled by anyone, I just take my own decision. I give back my second runner-up crown just because we don’t get what we deserve: Our National Costume prize, our Country Power of the Year—not the winner crown,” she said.

“I’m not blaming my sisters. I love India, I love [the] Philippines, they’re my best sisters of all [time.] I don’t blame them.”

The Country Power of the Year award went to Thailand’s Malin Chara-anan, while the Best National Costume was awarded to Brazil’s Talita Hartmann, Ecuador’s María José Vera, and Honduras’ Yariela Garcia.

ON THE SOBBING INCIDENT

Addressing the video making the rounds of Miss Grand Myanmar national director Htoo Ant Lwin removing her crown and sash, Thae said that he took the headpiece because she “nearly fell down.”

In a video posted online, Htoo was seen angrily pointing and shouting at a person taking a video of them as he was assisting a crying Thae.

“He just [took] care of me and another trainer, my national director’s friend, [he] just grabbed me because I couldn’t walk anymore,’ she narrated.

She added that they asked people in the crowd who were recording them to stop and give them space.

After the pageant, Htoo made cryptic posts on Facebook and later went live to say that Myanmar would no longer join Miss Grand International and that the pageant was “unfair” toward Thae. After this, he wrote in a post: “I’m calm now. Will you re-sign the contract?”

MGI president accepts Thae’s returned crown

Miss Grand International president Nawat Itsaragrisil has accepted Thae’s crown after she returned it, a report from Thai news site Khaosod English said.

“What makes her so delusional?” he said in a press conference. “If she wants first place and must have it, I suggest she create her own pageant so she can win every title.”

The report also said MGI has terminated its contract with Htoo and issued a lifetime ban due to “lack of sportsmanship and business credibility.”

Miss Grand International recently shared a photo of its crowned beauty queens, with Thae notably missing.

The 12th edition of the pageant ended with Rachel taking over the reign of Luciana Fuster Guzmán of Peru and CJ Opieza from the Philippines being named as first runner-up. After Thae came France’s Safiétou Kabengele in fourth place and Brazil’s Talita Hartmann in fifth place.